We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Maria Smith. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Maria below.

Maria, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Has your work ever been misunderstood or mischaracterized?

I am a model that is in my own category. I am not just a runway model print, commercial or editorial. However, I can do all of these categories, but in this industry me being a model that has lots of tattoos it hinders me from a lot of jobs so I have had to create my own lane as a model to make sure that I built my career and I stay relevant. I remember I audition for swim week for a brand and they loved me. They loved my walk my personality, but they turned me away because they felt that tattoos are hard to edit for magazine in for print. If your model that has tattoos don’t let this hinder you there are many other opportunities for you and one day, it won’t matter because the talent will speak for itself.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I like to call myself and all around creative. I started out my career as a model by Modeling for a body paint gig now if you know anything about Body Paint, you know that it is a cross between art and fashion, but also erotic art. I have always been an artist first and I do mix media I do portraits. I paint custom designs on clothing, shoes, skates jean jackets dresses pretty much anything however I was destined to be a model because I was able to align my love for Art and getting into character for these masterpieces and from there I began to cast for runway shows art events comedy shows brand Ambassador commercial, music, video magazines, and so much more. However, my roots with Art grew as well. I manage a paint and sip in East Atlanta. That is the number one in the entire state. I have sold many many many portraits. Many many Commission work art pieces I have a Nicki Minaj painting and the mobile trapped museum around the world, and I also became a Body Paint artist as well as a fashion designer. You can follow me on Instagram on @Mariatatthemodel, @MariaTat.theexperience, @MSMIT580, this is my art page. I also Model coach as well, so there really isn’t a end to my talents or creative services that I can Provide. Follow me on these platforms and let’s just discuss creative ideas and come up with some magic.

We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.

Before my journey started, I gave birth to a baby boy, and I supported a partner through something they were going through at the time I was the backbone. I was the Therapy. I was a positive person because I wanted it to be for my son I want to be a role model so I got into modeling a few years after birth because I need to get my confidence back and I needed to find something for me something that will leave a legacy for my child at the beginning of my career I went through a divorce and I lost myself. It wasn’t healthy. I wasn’t happy I wasn’t myself like I said so one night I told myself enough is enough. I want my son to look at me and see that I’m more than just a strong mother, but that I am a role model and that I chased my dreams and I made the most of life so I got up and I wrote a bunch of sticky notes of positive things and stuck them everywhere and every day I got up and I prayed, and I read my affirmations, and I began to do self shooting and created content for myself body art showing my artwork all kinds of content that I used today and I began to fall in love with Art again this was the start of Maria Tat, the creative, the mother, the supermodel.

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

The most rewarding aspect of being a creative and an entrepreneur is being able to constantly stay in your creative bag to create your own wealth, doing it on your own time and building something from the bottom up that you can nurture and cherish into a legacy one day I will be a globally known creative, and when I leave the Earth, I will still be a brand that is known around the nations that’s the goal I have set for myself.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: Mariatat.theexperience
• Facebook: Maria Williams

Image Credits

Ethan Champion
Theheartistphotographer
Alarmblu
Chet lacro
Yep.viz